Summer Care Tips For Pets
Summer has long been a time for vacations, cookouts and pool parties. When the heat turns up, the dangers to pets increase too. To keep your dog, cat, and other furry friends safe, make sure you are prepared. Whether it’s already summer or just feels like it, here are important pet care tips to keep your dogs and cats safe and healthy.
- Never, ever leave your dog in the car. Over the years, however, we’ve come to use the expression for sweltering days that aren’t fit for any dog. The truth is that dogs are more susceptible to the summer heat than we are. They have to wear a fur coat all year round. Whereas we can sweat to cool ourselves down, our pups sweat only through glands on the nose and paws and try to release heat by panting.
- Make sure your dog has unlimited access to fresh water. They can’t roll down the windows of a car or turn on the air conditioning. It’s up to humans to make sure that their dogs are comfortable enough and that they can live healthily in the summer heat.
- Make sure your dog has access to shade when outside. As I said, they can’t cool themselves like we do so they need those resources, especially on hotter days. Our canine pals need an escape during sunny summer months, so if you plan to let your pet outside, make sure that it can find shelter under a tree shade, a porch or other structure. The heat is not only a danger to your dog, but your pet can also become sunburned if it’s a thin-coated or wire-haired breed.
- Take walks during the cooler hours of the day. Remember, your pet has paws and doesn’t have the luxury of shoes and that ground can get very hot!
- Keep your dog free of external parasites (fleas, ticks) and heartworms. Consult your veterinarian about the best product for your pet: Every summer it’s smart to consult with your vet to see if there is any seasonal virus going around that could be harmful to your pet.
- Consider clipping or shaving dogs with long coats (talk to your veterinarian first to see if it’s appropriate for your pet), and apply sunscreen to your dog’s skin if she or he has a thin coat.
Source: Petsafe
Copyright: Local Value LLC
